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They probably could have, but doubtful he would have passed a physical with this issue. Also, I think teams were scared off with his plantar injury last Fall. Corey's legs are starting to go. he might have a hard time finding a big contract this winter with multiple knee surgeries in the last 2 offseasons.

I'd rather they give the increased ST AB's to Gamel and Morris. Gamel should be in the lineup every day. I would try to get Gamel as many ABs as possible, plus a lot of work in RF because I would hate the Crew to get Gamel rolling offensively, only to have his defense in RF become a liability after Hart returns. Morris presented with a HUGE opportunity. Hopefully hes been reading some of his offseason scouting reports and really wants to prove his doubters wrong. Not everyday a guy has a year like he did at AA with as little respect as hes been getting from the scouts.

Ugh, why now I'm sure everyone's thinking. However, it is very possible the knee was aggravated in the off-season and Hart did bring it up as soon as the knee starting hurting. We'll never know. Nonetheless, Hart needs to be healthy and we just now need to be patient while he heals. Maybe this situation will motivate Gamel to play well and show he deserves to be on the Brewers. I'm not sure what RR will do when Hart returns IF both Gamel and Aoki are playing well, but I'm sure that's a dilemma RR wants to have. Worst case scenario - Gamel sucks, the Crew has no pop, fall 10 games under .500, and Hart's return won't make a difference.

If the Brewers are out of it and Corey comes back, they have to try to trade him and get something back. With his injury history he could very well be next winter's Michael Bourn who doesn't get signed because teams aren't willing to risk draft pick compensation on an aging player. Brewers can't bank on getting draft pick compensation for him like they did with Sabathia and Fielder.

@ eagleriver... I can't imagine there is any way that the Brewers would extend Hart a qualifying offer (around 13 million this offseason, more next year), thus not concern from other teams with forfeiting a draft pick. If they were ready to commit 14 to him, given his stated desire to return to Milwaukee, he'd almost certainly accept. Either way, (unless the powers that be change the system), no shot at draft pick compensation for him.

eagleriverwildcardwinnersCorey Hart wouldn't have returned a mid rotation starter last deadline. A year and a half of Hunter Pence netted the Phillies OF Nate Schierholtz (nontendered, now a member of the Cubs), C/1B Tommy Joseph, and RHRP Seth Rosin. Shin-Soo Choo didn't net the Indians much in SS Didi Gregorious and CF Drew Stubbs. A package was built around Gregorious to acquire RHSP Tevor Bauer and some RP. They probably don't make that deal for Gregorious and Stubbs without the deal for Bauer in place, but a guy like Bauer being available was a unique situation not to be readily available.

Warboss, look at what the Angels just got for Kendrys Morales. Jason Vargas was Seattle's best pitcher last season not named Felix Hernandez. Morales is 29 with a weaker career so far than Corey Hart. I think the Brewers could have gotten similar value for him last season. This deadline will be much more difficult seeing as he has two knee surgeries and the plantar issue in the last 2 years. Plantar Fascitis is a chronic issue that may trouble Corey for the rest of his life.

eagleriverwildcardwinners Jason Vargas isn't a mid rotation starter, and I would be upset if the Brewers made a similar trade with Hart, just as I would with the packages that Pence and Choo netted. Vargas has gotten a lot of help from Safeco Field to look artificially better than he's actually been. (4.09 ERA/4.36 FIP/4.51 xFIP in 4 seasons with the Mariners)

How selfish can you be Hart? You're making millions, take the whole off season off, and just before Spring training (when the team needs to come together as a unit) you now decide to have surgery that will put you and the team weeks behind. What a jerk!

Selfish would be trying to play through this. Remember, he probably wasn't cleared for heavy workouts with his plantar facitis (sp?) injury from late last season. i'm guessing he told Brewers officials as soon as he felt something wrong. Its still early enough that he can come back and contribute. if it was March, he'd be gone for most of the year.

Nojjy,,he hurt his knee working out during the off season.It was the whole off season workout that made his knee swell up.Selfish would be if he didnt workout making Millions and come to camp sluggish,out of shape and not giving a hoot

The good news is that Gamel is still on the roster and can now move back to first base in Hart's absence.

Seriously? This guy has failed time and again. He can't stay healthy and when he is healthy he doesn't hit. I hope they are smart enough to go out and get something better than that. Hart is going to miss at least the first two months of the season.

Actually, Hart has had more injuries/surgery than Gamel has had in recent years. Funny how Gamel has this reputation as injury prone but Hart does not. Plus, Gamel (or Morris) gives the Brewers a legit LH power threat in the lineup. Hes not an All Star, but he has the ability to hit for power from the left side and balances out the lineup a little bit. Gamel was going to get ABs this year at 1B, RF, 3B and PH no matter what because he actually played well in his first month last year. Given the fact that hart is probably done in Milwaukee after this year, Gamel getting an extended look at 1B is a good thing.

By legit I mean that hes a left handed hitter who has power. Right now their main HR threat from the left side is Aoki (9 balls over the fence last year) and then Green and Schaefer (neither big HR guys at any point of their career) Gamel balances out the lineup with a LH hitting power bat, but he will need to play better than he has yet in the majors to replace Hart.

And then send him down after 6 weeks, basically losing a year of team control? Morris will get a shot in ST but he will have to outperform Gamel by a mile and prove he can be the starter when Hart comes back. Players have made that jump before, so it can be done. i just don't want to waste a year of Morris when 6 weeks of Gamel might end up being similar or better production over a short period. If Hart was done for the year, I'd be more open to just giving Morris the shot and seeing what he could do over the whole year.

Agreed. I think Hart is beginning to break down a little physically. Was hoping the shift to 1B would curb some of that, but he's had a lot of troublesome lower body issues in the last 2 seasons. 2 knee surgeries and the plantar. Might be impossible to get 150 games out of Corey anymore.

To make the team, Morris would have to be the starter. They are not going to put him on the bench. He needs regular at-bats. I have a hard time thinking he's ready to start. He's had one good season in the minors, and he's old for his level. A lot of Brewers fans I think are getting very unreasonable expectations for Hunter Morris. The reports I've read are that he has poor plate discipline and is an average defensive player, at best. So, he could turn out to be an averge MLB-caliber first baseman. But he is definitely not a sure-fire, can't miss prospect, like it appears many Brewers fans believe he is.

He should get plenty of time in ST to prove he can be the Brewers 1B of the future. Gamel probably gets the first crack, but I could see a transition to Morris as the full time 1B if he lights it up in ST.

For Morris to make the team out of spring training, he'd have to leapfrog Gamel and be the starting first baseman. And remember, Gamel and LaPorta had great numbers in the minors, too. They've done what at the MLB level? I am not trying to be negative. Just trying to be realistic and maintain a certain perspective regarding Morris's potential.

Neither had Segura. Again, it makes no sense unless Melvin and RR decide he is the teams starting 1B for now and for the future, but if he comes in and rakes against MLB pitching in ST and Gamel looks awful, maybe they decide to do it and move Hart either in a trade or back to RF after he returns.

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